Articles from the June 1, 2023 edition


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  • Luminary display for Memorial Day

    Matthew Stephens, Valley News Herald|Updated Oct 2, 2023

    LIBERTY LAKE – Hundreds of area residents made it out to Pavilion Park over Memorial Day weekend to look at the luminary display. Luminaries were sponsored by members of the community, and the funds raised will go to help pay for the Inland Northwest Honor Flight and the Liberty Lake Hometown Heroes Project. The honor flight works to provide flight transport for military veterans to travel to Washington D.C. and pay homage to the memorials in place. The hometown heroes p...

  • "Never Forget" Veterans Garden made official

    Matthew Stephens, Valley News Herald|Updated Oct 2, 2023

    LIBERTY LAKE – Vibrant kites danced in the blue sky alongside the bright colors of the American Flag on May 29 as dozens of people gathered around the flagpole in Orchard Park to see the dedication ceremony for a newly placed monument called the "Never Forget" Veterans Garden that is placed in honor of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is the group working to place these markers across the country. After a brief welcoming M...

  • Updated Jun 5, 2023

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  • Taming the 10-million-pound gorilla

    Paul Delaney, Cheney Free Press|Updated Jun 5, 2023

    CHENEY – In a career that spans nearly three decades, Jim Sarra Jr. has been in positions of many levels with institutions both small and large. He’s battled through the ever-present challenge of fundraising and marketing with what he termed a “10-million-pound gorilla” as his chief competition for money and fan support. Sarra is experienced in dealing with the NCAA over compliance and when all the T’s are not crossed and I’s dotted what happens then. And, perhaps, so...

  • Medical Lake Memorial Day event

    Lucas Walsh, Cheney Free Press|Updated Jun 5, 2023

    MEDICAL LAKE — America’s war dead were honored during a solemn observance Monday, May 29, at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery. The Memorial Day observance at 21702 W. Espanola Road, kicked off at 11 a.m. under sunny skies. Approximately 500 people, including veterans and family members, were in attendance. Cemetery Director Rudy Lopez gave the opening address in which he thanked the families of the fallen soldiers and introduced the guest speakers. “Thank you for your...

  • School Board races to be hotly contested

    Cheney Free Press|Updated Jun 5, 2023

    Medical Lake draws 17 school board candidates CHENEY – Controversial decisions relating to COVID-19 shutdowns, transgender policies, critical race theory and other topics have drawn numerous candidates in to School Board elections in Cheney and Medical Lake. The most hotly contested race in the Aug. 1 primary will be for Medical Lake School Director No. 2. Six people have filed for the seat, including Dolores Peterson, Wayne Terry, Michael Gerry, Alexis Alexander, Anita Hotchkiss and Suenn Casey. Medical Lake’s other thr...

  • Bergman given 15 years in prison

    Drew Lawson, Cheney Free Press|Updated Jun 5, 2023

    DAVENPORT—A Moses Lake man has been found guilty of murdering his wife about 11 miles northwest of Sprague in Sept. 2022. 55-year-old Charles R. Bergman entered a guilty plea of second-degree murder and was sentenced to 15 years in prison in Lincoln County Superior Court Tuesday, May 30. Bergman was originally charged with first-degree murder after being extradited from Pennsylvania to Lincoln County by U.S. Marshals last year, but the charge was reduced to a second-degree count after an agreement was reached between p...

  • Basketball pioneer Krause passes away

    Paul Delaney, Contributor|Updated Jun 1, 2023

    When Jerry Krause interviewed for the opening at Eastern Washington State College back in 1967, he was competing for the job with another newcomer to college basketball, Jud Heathcoate. Athletic director Dave Holmes' decision was quite simple, Krause recalled in a 2008 Cheney Free Press story. "I had a Doctorate and he had a master's degree and that's the reason I got the job." Krause said. "Now I tell him now that I kept you from being fired (at Eastern) and you kept me from...

  • West Plains Police News

    Updated Jun 1, 2023

    The following incidents were reported by the Cheney Police from May 22-28 May 22 Reported theft. 0 hundred block of First Street. Domestic violence report. 700 Block of West First Street. Kacey M. Brantley, 36, arrested for fourth-degree assault and malicious mischief. May 23 Domestic violence incident, no arrests. 200 block of N. 11th, Trespassing. 2600 block of First Street. Bobby D. Risenhoover, 61, arrested. Verbal domestic Violence incident. Cheney Second-degree assault. Occurred outside the city of Cheney and referred...

  • Eastern Washington University turning to new safety app

    Matthew Stephens, Cheney Free Press|Updated Jun 1, 2023

    CHENEY – In an effort to improve public safety for the students of Eastern Washington University (EWU), the campus will be using a new safety notification system starting June 1. The new EagleSafe mobile app is already available for download and is supported through Rave Mobile Safety, and will also be offered via a computer version. According to the Chief of EWU’s Police Department, Jewell Day, the change was necessary for the campus to keep up with technological modernizatio...

  • Cheney Crash

    Matthew Stephens|Updated Jun 1, 2023

    One man was a bit shaken up but uninjured after he went over the curb and crashed into the Mitchell’s Harvest Foods sign on May 24. The crash resulted in major damage to his Ford Ranger pickup....

  • Judge Price to retire on July 1

    Cheney Free Press|Updated Jun 1, 2023

    SPOKANE – A Spokane County will have a new superior court judge in July. Spokane City Council President Breean Beggs has been appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee to replace Spokane County Superior Court Judge Michael Price, who is retiring July 1. Beggs, who has practiced as a litigation attorney since 1991. His focus has been on civil rights, personal injury and employment. For the last 13 years, he has practiced at Paukert and Troppmann. And from 2004-2010, he served as the executive director for the Center for Justice in S...

  • City begins electricity meter replacement

    Lucas Walsh, Cheney Free Press|Updated Jun 1, 2023

    CHENEY— The city has begun the first stage of a multi-year project to replace all the electricity meters with a newer “smart” model. The new meters are the Centron II, which are designed to transmit and receive information to a remote receiver, and they can also relay information among individual units. The units, according to the technical specifications provided by the manufacturer, Itron, are capable of measuring temperature, voltage, and other technical data and routi...

  • WA Cares is a regressive tax, hurting low-income workers

    Updated Jun 1, 2023

    For all the talk about Washington state’s unfair regressive sales tax, this also is a regressive tax,” writes the editorial board at the Tri-City Herald. “Think about it. Every worker is supposed to pay into the program, but people living paycheck to paycheck can least afford to take the deductions. And it may very well be that their contributions help buoy a system that provides benefits to others but not to them.” Bingo. Pay attention to this opinion. The editorial board gets it. The regressivity within this state-imposed p...

  • Decision a win for landowners

    Updated Jun 1, 2023

    In a victory for private property owners, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the “significant nexus” test in its Sackett v EPA ruling. The ruling changes how “waters of the United States” can be applied by leaving wetlands that are not directly flowing into “rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water that flow across or form a part of State boundaries” out of consideration as WOTUS. The “significant nexus” test was established in Rapanos v United States. The “significant nexus” test defined “waters of the United States” in bro...

  • What are you looking at!?

    Matthew Stephens|Updated Jun 1, 2023

    An unidentified ground nesting mammal gets territorial at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge on May 22, 2023...

  • West Plains Commencement Ceremonies

    Updated Jun 1, 2023

    Cheney Free Press Liberty – June 3 at 1:00 p.m. at Liberty High School Sprague – June 3 from 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Sprague Lamont High School Cheney - June 9 at 5:00 p.m. at EWU Reese Court Medical Lake - June 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at EWU Reese Court...

  • Recreation director says dog park not open

    Matthew Stephens, Cheney Free Press|Updated Jun 1, 2023

    CHENEY – Cheney residents have been looking forward to the use of a dog park for a while, and most of the initial construction has been completed. However, some of the final details have yet to be squared away, such as leveling the ground and filling some gaps along the fence line. In the meantime community members have been using it, and according to Kelly McGinley Ashe the Recreation Director with Cheney Parks and Recreation, the public should not be using it yet as the d...

  • Rosalia Battle Days

    Teresa Simpson, Gazette Reporter|Updated Jun 1, 2023

    ROSALIA — Rosalia will host their annual Battle Days from Friday, June 2, through Saturday, June 3. Events kick off on Friday at 5 p.m. with a family night at Rosalia Park featuring music by “Just Plain Darin,” with hot dogs and beverages available. Battle Days Secretary Lori Furman stated that this is the first year they’ve added the Family Fun Night, and the city pool is open for the entire weekend. Rosalia Pool Manager Piper Dickenson shared that the pool will have several...

  • Cannons off to fast start in senior play

    Paul Delaney, Cheney Free Press|Updated Jun 1, 2023

    AAA CHENEY – The possible journey back to the Senior American Legion baseball state tournament for the Spokane Cannons has at least gotten off in the right direction. The AAA Legion team that draws heavily from Cheney and Medical Lake to fill its roster has begun the season with a 4-0 league record - 5-1 overall - following the start of ALB Spokane competition. "It's a pretty good start for not playing to the best of our abilities," head Coach Austin Sharp wrote in a text mess...

  • Shaffer brings home four titles

    Paul Delaney, Cheney Free Press|Updated Jun 1, 2023

    CHENEY – Caitlin Shaffer established a pair of personal records to go with four titles as the Cheney track and field athlete returned from the state 3A championships in Tacoma at Lake Stevens High School with the biggest haul of hardware. Shaffer, who competed as the lone entry in the wheelchair division, set a PR at 27.21 seconds in the 100-meters as well as in the javelin where her 12-foot throw was also a winner. Just a freshman, Shaffer also won the 800-meters in a time of...

  • Sports Briefs

    Updated Jun 1, 2023

    HIGH SCHOOL GOLF: Vallance plays state 3A golf CHENEY – Blackhawks senior Jake Vallance ended up tied for 29th out of 142 players at the state 3A golf championships played at Indian Summer Country Club in Olympia. Vallance shot an 81 the first day followed by a 77. COLLEGE TRACK: Say off to NCAA Championships CHENEY – Eastern Washington University triple jumper Bobby Say is peaking at the right moment. The Eagle star set a new outdoor career best with a jump of 15.84 meters (51’ 11.75”) to finish sixth at the 2023 NCAA Di...

  • Titles elude Medical Lake track at state

    Paul Delaney, Contributor|Updated Jun 1, 2023

    Medical Lake track and field was tripped up taking the final steps to the top spot on the podium at the 1A state track meet May 25-27 at Yakima's Eisenhower High School. Last fall's state champion in cross country, Reid Headrick, and an odds-on favorite for yet another gold medal, had his opponent, Bodie Thomas of Vashon Island out kick him in the final stretch to win the 3,200 meters by just over two seconds. Thomas, a freshman, turned in a personal record time of 9 minutes,...